George B. Haycox

June 01, 2007

NORFOLK — George Banks Haycox, 76, of Harbors Edge, died Wednesday, May 30, 2007, from cancer. Born in Norfolk, he was the son of the late Eva Banks Haycox and Edward James Haycox.

George graduated from Granby High School in 1949, and at that time was chosen by the Junior Chamber of Commerce as Norfolk's Outstanding Teenager of the Year. He worked as a staff photographer for the Norfolk newspapers for one year. He then entered the College of William and Mary on an athletic scholarship to shoot photography to the best of his athletic ability. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity and still counts his brothers as some of his best friends. Upon graduation in 1954, he spent two years at the Naval Photo Center in Washington, D.C., where he acted as liaison to the Chief of Naval Operations. Having completed his military service, he started Haycox Photoramic, Inc. in 1956, doing audio-visual, motion picture, motion picture processing and still photography. During his career, he won two Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge Gold Medal Awards, both Gold and Silver Medals from the New York International Film Festival, and many other national, state, and local awards. In 1987 he sold the business and turned his energy into boating, travel, and just enjoying retirement in the Florida Keys as well as Norfolk.

George was a member of the Norfolk Rotary Club, where he served as president in 1975 and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a member of Sales and Marketing Executives of Tidewater, Director of the Virginia Travel Council, served on the City of Norfolk Civic Facilities Commission, and was a volunteer counselor with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). He held membership in several in several photographic organizations and was active in the Willoughby Civic League for many years.

He is survived by his wife, Martha Hunt Haycox; two daughters, Marie Haycox of Glen Rock, N.J., and Mary Cheek and her husband, Allen, and their children, Wesley and Jordan, of Virginia Beach; a son, David Haycox, and his wife, Joy, and their children, Matthew and Mark, of Virginia Beach; a brother, Edward James Haycox III and his wife, Thelma; one niece and two nephews and their families.

He was predeceased by his infant daughter, Susan.

The family would like to thank the staff at Harbors Edge, Sentara Hospice, and the ladies from Kelly Services for being so generous with their time and interest in George's welfare.

A celebration of George's life will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, June 4, in First Presbyterian Church at Colonial and Redgate Ave., officiated by the Rev. James Wood. A reception will follow at Harbors Edge, One Colley Ave., in Norfolk.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Norfolk Rotary Charities, 142 West York St., Norfolk, VA 23518, or to your favorite charity.

The arrangements are under the care and direction of Cox Funeral Home. Condolences may be offered to the family through www.dmvobits.com/cox.